How to make it

Combine the ingredients for the marinade in a gigantic plastic freezer bag. Add the lamb and seal the bag. Shake to evenly distribute the marinade over the lamb and refrigerate to marinate for 8-12 hours.

Preheat oven to 500 F.

Remove the lamb from the marinade and wash quickly under running water to remove most of the marinade. Pat dry

Season with 2 teaspoons salt on all sides. Spread the lamb, fat side up, in a large roasting pan and set aside.

Combine the olives, olive oil, lemon juice, dill, garlic, cracked black pepper, and the lemon zest in the bowl of a food processor.

Pulse 2 to 3 times. Do not puree.

Coat the fat side of the roast to form a crust.

Insert probe thermometer into the thickest part, so you are not opening the door constantly and you don't poke too may holes - this will let all the juices run out and you will get shoe leather.

Roast the lamb at 500 F for 30 minutes.

Drop temperature to 200 F and roast until the thermometer registers 130 F for medium-rare, about 1 hour 30 minutes.

Turn off oven and do not open the oven, let sit for 30 minutes.

Remove roast from oven and let stand 15 minutes before even thinking about cutting the meat. If you do, all the juices will run out and you'll have shoe leather.

Slice the lamb and serve warm or at room temperature. At Pasca (Orthodox Easter) we eat all our foods room temperature as it is a day without work.

Note: The cooking time will vary depending on the cut of the meat. If your probe thermometer has an alarm, set it for 120 F, otherwise start checking the temperature at 1 hour.

Don't forget that the meat will continue to cook once removed from the oven (as it rests), so 140 F will yeild a medium doneness.

Don't forget those tasty bits on the baking sheet, these can be spooned over individual slices of lamb as a tasty sauce. Just deglaze with a bit of reserved marinade or red wine.